The Nypd Blue Springboard

TOM JICHA Q&A

Butler's Blues

November 3, 2002|TOM JICHA Q&A

Q. I have a bet with a friend that Dr. Lewis of ER also played on NYPD Blue when David Caruso was on the show. He says no. I say she did, but how did she do both shows at the same time? - L.R., via e-mail

A. Sherry Stringfield played David Caruso's wife, Laura Kelly, in 1993-94, the first season of NYPD Blue. When he decided to bug out on the series, her role became superfluous and she hooked up with ER, which debuted the following fall. If you've been watching the NYPD Blue reruns on cable, you might also have recognized the neighbor in the Kellys' apartment building, referred to dismissively by Caruso's Detecive John Kelly as "4B." The same season Stringfield joined ER, David "4B" Schwimmer premiered as Ross on Friends. That first season of NYPD Blue, which was recently picked up for an 11th season next year, was quite a launch pad. Amy Brenneman, who played Officer Janice Licalsi, went on to star in Judging Amy, which now outrates NYPD Blue on Tuesday nights at 10.

Q. At the end of an episode of Crossing Jordan, there was a dedication, "For Rosemary and Sammy." Obviously, Rosemary referred to Rosemary Clooney, Miguel Ferrer's late mother. Would you know who Sammy is? - R.G., via e-mail

A. The dedication referred to Sammy Arkush; the 13-year-old son of co-executive producer Alan Arkush died recently.

Q. I read that Witchblade has been canceled. Do you know why? I liked watching Yancy Butler. - J.S., Boca Raton

A. TNT cited the usual reason: ratings. However, the fact that Butler (whose father was the drummer in the Loving Spoonful) had to enter a rehab center for alcohol abuse might have had something to do with it. It's hard to do a show when you can't count on your star being available. Witchblade isn't Friends, where there are five other co-equals to carry the load whenever Matthew Perry feels he needs help.

Q. Without mentioning her name, I'm interested in finding out if the lead actress on JAG has ever been a porn star? A friend of mine wants to bet me 10-to-1 that he saw her one night on Cinemax. Should I take the bet? - T.B., Sunrise

A. Very subtle. By describing her as the female star of JAG, you might as well have provided Catherine Bell's address and phone number. Your friend could offer you a million to one, because he knows he's betting a sure thing, although I would take exception to labeling Bell a porn star. Like countless ingenues, she did some nudity early in her career. She was Isabella Rosselini's body double in Death Becomes Her and, in a credit she probably would like stricken from her resume, she appeared in a softcore skin flick titled Hotline Volume 3, which is the kind of film that shows up in late night on Cinemax.

Q. My wife and I used to enjoy The West Wing and Law & Order but they both became so talky and boring we switched to Breaking News and Deadline. Does anybody else watch these shows on Bravo? They are both excellent and up to date. - R.J., via e-mail

A. The West Wing does seem to be in a creative slump but it is still very well done. I haven't noticed any decline in the quality of Law & Order. Judging from the ratings, which are as solid as ever (unlike The West Wing, which is slipping), most Americans still find it top-shelf entertainment. Breaking News and Deadline are both failed series from other networks. Breaking News was ordered by Turner but after the AOL Time Warner takeover, the new regime didn't like the show and decided to use the tax laws to advantage by never airing it (these kinds of machinations aren't created to make sense to people who work for a living). Deadline was canceled after a brief run on NBC.